This invention is directed to a method of recycling scrap nuclear material, and nuclear fuel manufactured by the process.
In the manufacture of nuclear fuel for use in nuclear reactors, the conditions of service to which the fuel is subject within a reactor are so demanding that very high manufacturing standards must be met, which leads to a comparatively high volume of reject sintered pellet material, and the need for recycling this reject fuel material. In addition to pelleted material, the swarf resulting from pellet grinding also requires to be recycled. At present such nuclear fuel recycling generally relies upon chemical dissolution of uranium values into liquid form followed by purification, precipitation and eventual powder manufacture.